GEOG 341 Lecture 3: Special Topics - Geograph of Africa - Week 3
Document Summary
Cultural landscape: created by people modifying natural landscape; people putting imprint onto land. All areas inhabited by a culture group have a cultural landscape. Some light, some heavy, but all there: houses, government buildings, schools, roads, agricultural fields, mines, fences, etc. Unique cultures produce unique landscapes, even in similar environments. It accumulates over time from past cultural influence from many different generations. Culture history approaches the historical record using a cultural approach. Multidisciplinary: geography, history, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics. Africa"s triple heritage: influences by indigenous, islamic, and western cultures. Role of each group is uneven through space across the continent and through time in history. Problems studying african history and historical geography include: Hot humid conditions rapidly destroy paper and other records. Special people would learn the oral history, which was often destroyed by later colonial powers. Colonial powers refused to give credit to past indigenous. Often did not think africans were capable of advanced societies: laws enforced prejudices.